Eine Veranderte Welt
by Jaenera Targaryen
Summary: A single choice can make and unmake countless possibilities. A different decision by Yhwach over Ichigo changes the course of the Thousand Year Blood War...for both Shinigami and Quincy alike.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the Bleach franchise, it is owned by Tite Kubo.

Eine Veranderte Welt

Prologue

"I exist to serve."

Jugram Haschwalth knelt before the stepped dais, his head bowed, and shadows flickering over his form from the light cast by the reishi flames of the widely-spaced crystal lamps set in the throne room's walls. The throne floated above the dais, the black-cloaked figure of Yhwach, Emperor of the Vandenreich and Father of the Quincy seated regally upon it.

"I have a special task for you, Haschwalth." Yhwach began.

"Command me, Your Majesty." Haschwalth responded formally.

"As you know we still have some months before the first of the planned offensive actions against the Soul Society begins." Yhwach said. "All preparations are proceeding smoothly, and victory seems guaranteed. However…there remain…a few possible variables that must be accounted for."

"The Special War Powers…?" Haschwalth said, raising his head. Yhwach nodded and Haschwalth continued. "Ichigo Kurosaki: latent ability. Kenpachi Zaraki: fighting strength. Ichibee Hyousube: wisdom. Sousuke Aizen: spiritual pressure. And Kisuke Urahara: means."

"Originally our plan was to neutralize these variables during operations, either by recruiting them or destroying them." Yhwach said, his eyes narrowing. "However there is equal if not greater merit to neutralizing them by either means _before_ operations are launched, is that not so, Haschwalth?"

"It is as you say, Your Majesty." Haschwalth agreed. "It would certainly reduce the risk they pose to our operations if they could be removed as threats one way or another beforehand. Of course, we must do so in a tempered fashion. It would not do to tip our hand before our preparations are complete."

"Indeed…" Yhwach said with a smile. "…however an opportunity to do so has appeared before us, what with that pathetic fool Kuugo Ginjou making his moves to awaken Ichigo Kurosaki's Fullbring abilities, nurture them, and then steal them for his own purposes."

"Do you wish for me to remove their interference?"

"Not quite…" Yhwach said. "…let them do as they please."

Haschwalth looked quite shocked at that, and Yhwach's smile grew. "Let them do as they please." He reiterated. "But I want you nearby, just out of sight until the right time. You know as well as I do Ichigo Kurosaki's character. When the betrayal comes, he will no doubt seek to deliver…retribution, on Kuugo Ginjou. But without any power of his own, he will die. A satisfactory enough end for our purposes, but somewhat disappointing."

"I understand Your Majesty." Haschwalth said. "You wish for me to nurture his latent abilities as a Quincy, yes?"

"Well inferred…" Yhwach said. "…however while the differences between the Ultimate Getsuga Tenshou and the Letzt Stil means that his Quincy powers wouldn't have been completely destroyed as were his Shinigami powers, the similarities mean they are still critically-compromised. Even with your presence, it will not be enough. However…"

Yhwach paused and narrowed his eyes. "…enough will be reawakened to push him to his limit." He finished.

Haschwalth narrowed his eyes as well and bowed. "I understand Your Majesty." He said. "I will restore his powers, and plant the seeds of cooperation."

"You will do more than that." Yhwach said with a smile. "Select one of our Stern Ritter, and have her cultivate a friendship with Ichigo Kurosaki. Once the time is right, he will come before me and I shall give him his place among our ranks."

"Do you have any preferences as to who I should bring with me, Your Majesty?"

"I leave that to you, Haschwalth."

For several moments Haschwalth stayed silent, kneeling with his head bowed. And then he spoke, breaking the silence. "I believe I have the right candidate in mind Your Majesty." He said. "It might even resolve a certain issue I've had with her for a while now. It is a soldier's lot to die, and indeed to die on the battlefield in the line of duty is expected. What matters is that their death is not wasted. However, I daresay the Soldat dead by _her_ hands are anything but not wasted."

For a moment Yhwach was silent. And then he burst laughing, deep-throated laughter echoing in his throne room. "Yes, I see your point Haschwalth." Yhwach said several moments later. "Very well, I approve your decision. You may proceed with your assigned task as soon as you are ready."

"It shall be as you command, Your Majesty."

Haschwalth bowed, and with a nod and a gesture Yhwach dismissed the Grand Master of the Stern Ritter.

* * *

"I can't believe they're making me do this." Bambietta Basterbine grumbled as she began packing her clothes. Apart from spare uniform sets and underwear, she also needed casual clothes to blend into normal Human society. Well, that wasn't too difficult, though given the nature of her life and occupation, she didn't have much to bring with her.

 _I suppose I can always buy more in the Living World when I have the time._

"Yoohoo, Bambi-chan…!" an annoying voice sang as another woman entered her rooms.

"Candice, I am so not in the mood!" Bambietta snapped. The blonde Stern Ritter just raised an eyebrow at the explosion of temper.

"Touchy aren't we?" Candice Catnipp pouted before grinning. "You know a little bird told me some interesting news lately. I heard that you and Haschwalth were going to the Living World to seduce the Special War Power Ichigo Kurosaki."

Bambietta's response was a few muttered expletives that Candice didn't quite catch, but it was enough confirmation. "So it is true!" she gushed. "Oh you're so lucky! Ichigo is rather hot-looking, or at least that's what I'm getting from his entry in the Daten. And he's powerful to boot, well he was, until a while back."

Bambietta stayed silent, and Candice's smile turned catlike. "So what's gotten you so worked-up?" she ask, and nudged Bambietta with an elbow. "Considering how you get rid of steam I'd expect you'd be jumping at the chance to get at Ichigo."

"Candice, you know as well as I do that I don't actually sleep with those idiots stupid enough to accept my invitations." Bambietta said acidly. "Not that they could actually say no, but I wouldn't really say that I've any experience seducing anyone."

"Just be yourself, that's all there is to it." Candice said with a shrug. She grinned as Bambietta threw her a dirty look. "And try not to blow him up along the way."

"Thanks…really, thanks a lot…" Bambietta grumbled as she resumed packing her things. With her clothes done, she just needed to pack a few more odds and ends before meeting up with Haschwalth at the departure point. "…I really appreciate your advice. It is very helpful."

"No problem…" Candice said with another shrug. "…though you shouldn't be too sarcastic though. I am genuinely trying to help you know."

"Oh really…?"

"If I wasn't, I would have brought the others here to your rooms too." Candice smugly said, and grinning as Bambietta came to a grinding halt. "Well that's probably a bit unfair to Meninas, though not so much for Liltotto or Giselle."

Bambietta stayed silent for a few moments, and then with a sigh tossed into her luggage a few more things before closing and locking it. "Thanks." She said, in all seriousness this time. "I really appreciate this, Candice."

Candice shrugged. "Well…" she said. "…we're not as close as we pretend to be, but we are friends. So I might as well help you out. And besides…"

She paused and winked at Bambietta. "I might need a favour from you some day." She said. Bambietta laughed and after a moment Candice joined in. Patting the smaller girl on a shoulder the two Quincy stepped out of Bambietta's rooms and left together for the departure point.

* * *

"Good morning everyone…!" Ochi-sensei greeted her class as she passed through the door and took her place behind her desk. After returning her greeting and returning to their seats, the student on day duty took the attendance before Ochi-sensei spoke up again. "Okay everyone we have a new student joining us today. She's an exchange student who'll only be here for a few months at most, but do try and make her welcome."

She paused and smiled in a way that was surprisingly threatening for someone as…cheerful and absent-minded as she was. "And boys…" she said. "…do try and _not_ make trouble for her, okay?"

"Yes sensei."

Ochi-sensei nodded before turning to the door. "Okay Miss Basterbine…" she said. "…you can come in now."

The class stayed silently respectful as a girl of average height with long dark hair strode in. She wore the standard school uniform, and she looked if not happy then bored. She walked up to beside Ochi-sensei and taking an offered piece of chalk wrote out her name on the chalkboard. She then turned back to the class and gave a polite bow. "Good morning." She said. "My name is Bambietta Basterbine. Though we won't be together for long, and we haven't known each other, I hope to get along with you."

The class gave polite applause, and Ochi-sensei nodded in satisfaction. "Alright…" she said, craning her head to find an available seat. "…you can sit over there Miss Basterbine."

Bambietta nodded, and proceeded to her seat…which just so happened to be right next to Ichigo Kurosaki's. How Haschwalth managed to get her into Ichigo's class, and a spare seat right next to their quarry, was nothing short of a miracle.

 _Then again, he is His Majesty's second-in-command. If he couldn't pull off near-impossible feats – even as mundane as this – he wouldn't have the post._

"Hey there…" Ichigo said with a curt nod. "…my name's Ichigo Kurosaki, but don't bother calling me 'Kurosaki' or anything fancy. Just Ichigo will do."

"Uh…" Bambietta fumbled, caught off guard. "…thanks…and in that case, feel free to call me by name as well."

"Yeah sure…" Ichigo said with a friendly smile, and Bambietta found herself smiling back. In front of the glass Ochi-sensei noticed and hummed with satisfaction.

"Hmm…yes very good I see you've managed to befriend Miss Bambietta, Ichigo." She said cheerfully. "Alright, I'll have you be responsible for her while she's studying at our school."

"Wait what?" Ichigo asked, completely stupefied.

"What do you mean what, Ichigo?" Ochi-sensei said. "I thought what I said was clear enough. You've made friends with Miss Bambietta, and despite your delinquent-like appearance I know you're a responsible and trustworthy boy. So I'll have you take responsibility for Miss Bambietta while she's here."

Ochi-sensei paused. "Well…" she mused aloud. "…you did have plenty of absences a while back, but you made up for those so…"

Ochi-sensei shrugged and then beamed at Ichigo. "I'm sure you'll do just fine with Bambietta, Ichigo." She said.

"No wait…delinquent appearance aside…or all things about 'responsible and trustworthy'…" Ichigo struggled to hold his ground. "…what do you mean I'm responsible for her?"

Ochi-sensei stared at Ichigo. "It means as it sounds." She said. "You're responsible for making sure Bambietta doesn't get into trouble, knows where to go, knows where what is, and well, basically anything important and she needs to know."

Ichigo fumbled soundlessly for a few moments, and then throwing a glare to silence the snickers of his fellow classmates (except for Tatsuki who stuck her tongue out at him and Orihime who just shrugged as those saying 'what can you do'), coughed loudly before crossing his arms and starting to sulk. Bambietta couldn't help it. She laughed, and patted him on a shoulder.

"Ah don't sweat it." She said. "Look, you help me out, and I'll do the same for you alright? Or rather, I won't cause too much trouble for you."

Ichigo glanced at her, and she blinked at the surprising intensity of his gaze. The moment stretched and then passed, and Ichigo sighed before giving her a smile. "Alright…" he said. "…I keep an eye out for you while you're here."

Bambietta nodded her thanks, and then turned her attention to the front of the classroom as class began.

 _Maybe this won't be too bad after all._

* * *

A/N

I can't believe I'm actually writing a Bleach fic, but after the crap that was the final two chapters (rushed is the most generous adjective I'm going to give) of the manga, I have to do something.

Yes, I know the prologue here is rather vague and perhaps a bit rushed towards the end, but it is the prologue. Dangling ends and mysterious circumstances are expected, which should _not_ be the case for an ending.

More details and background/fleshing-out in succeeding chapters, but for now this is Jaenera Targaryen signing out.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Bleach franchise, it is owned by Tite Kubo.

Eine Veranderte Welt

Chapter 1

"So what is your assessment of his character?"

Haschwalth stood before a window, one which overlooked the hiding place of the Fullbringers. A faint, hexagonal, net-like construct of reishi overlay the glass, keeping anyone from looking in from outside while letting anyone inside look out. Through the window and his own senses Haschwalth observed Ichigo's training.

"He's nice enough I suppose." Bambietta said. "I've barely known him for a day so I wouldn't be able to say this with complete certainty, but so far he seems much more…likeable, than most boys my age in the Vandenreich."

"I see."

" _Lunch on the rooftop eh?" Bambietta remarked. "How dreadfully cliché…"_

" _You think so…?" Ichigo asked over a shoulder._

" _Japanese schools – at least the ones I see on TV – always seem to have students eating up on the roof." Bambietta answered._

" _Well…" Ichigo said as he led her to his usual – and also as usual he was the first there – corner. "…unless it's raining the roof is usually the most comfortable place in the school, even if you have to sit on the ground."_

" _Really…?"_

" _Sure…" Ichigo said while sitting on the bench. "…the breeze is good, and even if the Sun beats down between them it's neither too warm nor too cold."_

 _Bambietta stared in silence for a few moments, and then laughed. "Oh?" she said with a smile. "What about in winter?"_

" _Well obviously we stay indoors." Ichigo said, but was kept from saying anything more when one of his friends arrived._

" _Oh it's you…" a rather…dandy-like boy with stylishly-cut hair said as he approached. "…Basterbine-san, wasn't it? My, Ichigo moves fast doesn't he? It was the same with Kuchiki-san too."_

" _Excuse me?"_

" _Hey, Mizuiro…" Ichigo grumpily snapped. "…don't give her the wrong idea. Bambietta, I wouldn't listen too much to him. That guy's a real womanizer, I can't even count how many women he's played by now."_

" _Hey, hey…" Mizuiro protested. "…you shouldn't give wrong ideas either, Ichigo."_

" _What, are you going to say it isn't true?"_

" _No, it's true." Mizuiro replied, and Bambietta's jaw dropped at his apparent self-incrimination. And then her eyes went wide as he continued. "But if you're going to tell that to our new classmate, you should tell her the whole truth."_

" _And that is…?" Bambietta asked._

" _He has a thing for older women." Ichigo replied with a roll of his eyes. As Bambietta snickered and then loudly burst laughing, he opened his lunchbox and began to eat his lunch seemingly without a care._

" _Yes, well…" Mizuiro said with a smile, taking a seat beside Bambietta. "…it's not like I go around picking up lonely older women, it's more that they tend to stumble onto and pick me up."_

" _Right…" Bambietta said with a snicker. "…and how much resistance do you actually put up when these, ahem, lonely older women stumble on you and pick you up, eh?"_

" _Well, who am I to say no when they want to have a friendly chat?" Mizuiro replied with a laugh. Bambietta laughed too, and Ichigo rolled his eyes._

" _ICHIGO!" a loud voice shouted, followed by the shouter, a boy with brown hair who threw himself at Ichigo…and was promptly met by Ichigo's elbow to the face._

" _Sorry about that…" he said to Bambietta who was curiously glancing at the twitching boy sprawled out on the floor in front of them. "…Keigo's like that. He's a fairly nice guy, but he can be…trouble."_

" _Is that so?"_

" _Ichigo…!" Keigo shouted as he got to his feet. "How could you say such terrible things about me to your girlfriend like that?"_

 _Bambietta and Ichigo alike choked at that, but before Keigo could say anymore a rather athletic-looking girl showed up and promptly cuffed Keigo on the back of the head. "Idiot…!" she snapped as Keigo fell down again. "Don't say things that'll cause misunderstandings, especially if they're not true."_

" _Not bad…" Bambietta said with an experienced eye. "…he's actually out cold."_

" _Not surprising…" Ichigo said. "…Tatsuki there is the Captain of the Karate Team."_

 _Tatsuki knelt down to Keigo and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Yikes…" she said. "…I guess I went too far there, didn't I?"_

" _Meh, he can take it." Ichigo said with a shrug. "And if he's not awake by the time lunch break ends, then just splash him with cold water from that faucet over there."_

" _Oh yeah…"_

" _And if that doesn't work?" Bambietta asked._

" _Sucks to be him…" Ichigo said, and then Keigo staggered up on all fours to Bambietta's surprise._

" _Ichigo…" Keigo groaned out. "…you're so cruel."_

 _As Ichigo and Keigo got into a good-natured argument over the former's 'cruelty' Bambietta was surprised when a girl she recognized as Orihime Inoue from the Daten offered her some of her lunch. "No, its fine, I…" she said but Orihime just shook her head._

" _No, no…" she said. "…I actually made a lot this morning, to share with everyone. And, well since Kurosaki-kun seems to have made friends with you, would you like some?"_

 _Bambietta blinked, and then after a moment smiled and used her chopsticks to take some of the offered food. "Thanks." She said. "My name's Bambietta Basterbine. And you are…?"_

" _Orihime Inoue, but you can just call me Orihime."_

" _Is that so? In that case, just call me Bambietta."_

Bambietta blinked and ended her reminiscing of the lunch on the rooftop earlier today. "They're a rowdy bunch." She said. "Ichigo's friends, but they're not unlikeable. I daresay they're a much nicer bunch than the girls I hang around with most of the time."

Haschwalth glanced at her over a shoulder, and Bambietta scratched her head. "Maybe that's unfair to Meninas and Candice…" she conceded. "…but you have to admit, Giselle and Liltotto are insane, especially Giselle."

"And you are one to talk, Explode?" Haschwalth asked. "You after all have a reputation among the Stern Ritter for luring male Soldat with the promise of sexual gratification, only to kill them once their back is turned."

Bambietta's eyebrow twitched and she made a sound like a pillow being stepped on, but said nothing more. "Is there anything more?" Haschwalth asked.

"There are two." She replied. "The first is Orihime Inoue. Nothing too special as far as the Daten is concerned, but as I recall Special War Power Number Three once considered her power as…having potential. Should we be concerned as well?"

Haschwalth did not reply, and Bambietta moved on after a moment. "Also…" she said. "…Ichigo Kurosaki is much attached to his friends, though that's not too surprising. His entry in the Daten did state that was originally his reason for fighting. I worry about the possibility of recruiting him in the future, given our end goal and its effects."

"Leave that to me." Haschwalth finally said. "Ichigo Kurosaki is not stupid, is he not?"

"No." Bambietta said. "Despite appearances, his performance in his classes today proves that he is quite intelligent. Though, if he's to be one of us, we'll have to fix his noted tendency to simply charge in against his enemies. As a Quincy, against many enemies it's going to be the death of him."

"Perhaps…" Haschwalth conceded. "…perhaps not…"

Bambietta looked surprised at that, but Haschwalth did not elaborate at once. "While I agree that having him adopt a more…cautious, approach to battle is something to be striven for…" he said eventually. "…at the same time we shouldn't constrain him so much. Do not forget the trait for which he is a Special War Power, and the first among them: latent ability. Harnessing such a trait will require some leeway."

"I understand, Grand Master."

Haschwalth nodded. "Continue with your operations as you have so far, Explode." He said.

* * *

"Don't get so irritable." Ginjou remarked. "Your training's already gone faster than expected."

A bruised and battered Ichigo glared at him after being released from one of Yukio's pocket dimensions. Ginjou was completely unfazed though. "Ichigo, you not only managed to manifest the basic form of your Fullbring but actually stabilized it in _one night_." He said. "Riruka and Yukio took _much_ longer than that to get a stable Fullbring. About a few months or so, isn't that right?"

"Three months." Yukio replied deadpan, and Riruka shrugged.

"About the same…" She said.

Ginjou turned back to Ichigo. "Sado tells me that you mastered your Shinigami powers in what, three days?" he asked. "Bankai, wasn't it?"

"That's right." Ichigo confirmed. "So what…? Are you saying I can't do the same with Fullbring? If I can do it with…"

"And how much damage did you take while mastering it?" Ginjou interrupted and stopping Ichigo cold. "Don't forget Ichigo, what might only cause bruises or flesh wounds to Shinigami, would kill most Humans outright. And right now, you're only Human. Your motivation for doing this is to get the back the power to protect your family right? If you die during training because of your own stubbornness, what happens then…?"

Ichigo looked mutinous, but eventually subsided and looked away. In hindsight, his Shinigami training had been rather brutal, and would probably have killed him if he hadn't had a soul's increased durability compared to a living, breathing Human body.

And it wasn't just Bankai training either, what with Old Man Zangetsu slashing and cutting away at him like there was no tomorrow. Or even the Visored training, now that was even more brutal. No, he'd never have even have gotten that far if not for the initial training with Urahara, and Urahara would have killed him if he hadn't succeeded in awakening his Shinigami powers.

And that was precisely the point. He _wasn't_ a Shinigami anymore. He was just an ordinary Human, and while he could regain power eventually, until then he was just as vulnerable as the next person. Ichigo suppressed a shudder as he remembered how helpless Karin, Yuzu, and ultimately even him were during that Hollow attack immediately after he first met Rukia.

 _Isn't that the whole point of this? Getting back the power to protect them and my friends…?_

 _Ah but if you push yourself too far during training and bite the dirt, then what happens?_

 _And it's not like you can become a Shinigami after you die either, you destroyed your soul's spiritual power when you used the Final Getsuga Tensho. It was for a good cause, but still: you don't have any spiritual power anymore._

 _And even if you could become a Shinigami again after you die, what are the chances they'd assign you to Karakura? It's a professional service isn't it?_

Ichigo sighed, and falling on his rear collapsed back on his arms. "I got it." He said. "That's enough for tonight. When do I come back for training?"

Ginjou smiled and gestured at Giriko who went and got a First Aid Kit. "Glad to see you're using your head." Ginjou said cheerfully as Giriko began tending to Ichigo's injuries. "Come back the day after tomorrow. We'll see then. Until then, just take it easy, and enjoy your life. Trust me, Ichigo. When you grow up, you'll regret not taking opportunities in this stage of life."

Ichigo looked sceptical, and Ginjou shrugged. "I guess I don't really look like a guy to give good advice about that." He said. "But, I think I've got the right to give advice on Fullbring training. And I think that until you're back to good shape, we should hold off on further training for at least a day."

Ichigo sighed again and nodded before stumbling to his feet. "Alright, alright…" he said unhappily. "…as you said, I'm just a Human right now. So I'll have to train as a Human, including letting my body recover over time. I got it."

Ginjou and the rest of Xcution nodded their agreement.

* * *

The school bells rang a five-minute mark before the start of class, and Bambietta sighed as she replaced her walking shoes for indoor ones. " _Troublesome…_ " she grumbled mentally. " _…I can see the point of taking your shoes off before entering the house, but school…? This seems to be taking cleanliness a bit too far._ "

Bambietta closed her locker, and took another deep breath. " _Then again…_ " she thought. " _…this is Japan. Who am I to say otherwise to their customs? When in Rome do as the Romans do._ "

"Bambietta-chan…! Good morning!"

Bambietta blinked at the shouted greeting, and turning to see who it was paused on her way to let the other person catch up. "Good morning, Orihime-san." Bambietta said politely before turning to the other girl tagging along. "Good morning Arisawa-san."

"Good morning." Tatsuki said before smiling teasingly. "Guess I come second, eh?"

"She greeted me first, so I greet her back first." Bambietta said before glancing at her watch. "Come on, class is about to start."

"Ah wait up…" the girls said before following after Bambietta. Bambietta stayed silent as Orihime and Tatsuki along with a redheaded girl who joined them along the way chatted with each other. They separated at the doors to the classroom, the redhead – Chizuru Honshou – shooting Bambietta an assessing glance. Something…felt off about it, something that reminded her of Giselle, and Bambietta made a mental note to be wary of the redhead.

Not that she could do any real harm to Bambietta of course. The only one in the school who could was Uryuu Ishida, seeing as Orihime's powers weren't really offense-oriented and while Yasutora's was he didn't have the firepower. And Ichigo while a Special War Power and thus once fully-realized would far surpass her in power, didn't have _any_ power at present.

Well, he was undergoing Fullbring training, but Bambietta didn't really have that high of an opinion of _that_.

She blinked though as she noticed the bandaged cuts and wounds on Ichigo's face, the boy sitting stoically – or perhaps _bored_ – behind his desk. "What happened to you?" she asked. "You look like someone a truck ran into."

He glanced wearily at her. "You have no idea how right that is." He said, and she blinked.

"Huh?"

"No…" Ichigo said with a cough. "…it's nothing. Forget I said anything."

Bambietta quirked an eyebrow at that but said nothing. It was probably the result of Fullbring training, and her opinion of their abilities rose ever so slightly. Quincy training was difficult too, considering they were Humans – weak, pathetic, frail and helpless Humans – training to fight against transcendental beings like Hollows and Shinigami.

Even if Ichigo's past training and experiences shouldn't have affected his body – much – as it would have his soul, he wasn't exactly frail either. To think they could cause so much damage during training…

Unknown to Bambietta, Ichigo was pretty much thinking along the same lines. And remembering something his father had told Ichigo before he had gained the Final Getsuga Tenshou. Specifically, how Ichigo had gained all his powers and abilities through shortcuts usually courtesy of Urahara, and how much different and _harder_ proper training was.

" _Wise words, old man…_ " Ichigo thought glumly. He wasn't exactly…flabby or unfit, but after the beating Jackie Tristan gave him last night, he'd gone to sleep tired and woken up stiff and cramped. " _…the same goes for Ginjou-san too. I don't think I'd last even a minute against Tristan if I went training with her right now. Shinigami training was never this hard. I wonder if Ishida's training was the same. Quincy are Human too after all. Well, we'll see tomorrow._ "

Ichigo sighed. There wasn't much point in letting his gripes over the cost and time of Fullbring training sour his day. As the teacher arrived and the student on duty called them to stand, Ichigo pulled himself back to reality.

* * *

"Were you training or something?" Bambietta asked over morning break. Seeing as it was only twenty minutes long, there wasn't much point in going to the roof, so they stayed in the classroom.

"Something like that…" Ichigo replied evasively.

"Some training then…" Bambietta remarked as she leaned back against a window. "…if it leaves you all bruised and battered like that."

Ichigo's response was pre-empted by a laugh, Ichigo and Bambietta glancing towards Tatsuki as she walked over to them. "Don't worry too much, Basterbine-san." She said. "This much for Ichigo is nothing. He's gone far from the cry-baby I used to push around in the karate dojo."

"Cry-baby…?" Bambietta echoed deadpan.

"HEY…!" Ichigo snapped angrily. "What's the big idea, bringing up something like that?"

"Now, now…" Tatsuki said cheerfully while holding up her hands in a gesture for peace. "…its ancient history now, so why bother getting all hot and worked up over it?"

"Why even bring it up in the first place?" Ichigo growled.

Tatsuki shrugged and turned back to Bambietta. "Anyway my point is something like this isn't really a problem for Ichigo here." He said. "He takes on entire gangs regularly and comes out of it looking worse, but he'll be back to normal in a day or so."

 _Gangs don't usually get powerful enough to shake the ground when they kick them. Tristan can._

"Gangs…?" Bambietta echoed. "Usually…?"

 _This wasn't in the Daten._

Tatsuki shrugged again. "Apparently those idiots think Ichigo dyes his hair orange." She said. "Coupled with his usual grumpy expression, it makes them think he's a loner delinquent trying to muscle around their territory. Well that, and Ichigo not liking bullies. As a result, he gets into fights often."

"And how many people are usually in these gangs?" Bambietta asked.

"Usually around five or so…" Ichigo replied. "…a few times there's more, but in those cases I usually just have to knock out their leader and they run for it."

"You say that, but as I recall Chad had to bail you out more than a few times." Tatsuki pointed out. Ichigo looked curiously at her.

"What's wrong with that?" he asked. "Friends are _supposed_ to help each other out, don't they?"

Tatsuki laughed at that. "Yeah, that's true." She said, and then she and Ichigo shared a laugh. Bambietta meanwhile thought back to her argument with Candice back in the Vandenreich while preparing to leave for the Living World, and how she was the only one of Bambietta's 'friends' who was there to see Bambietta and Haschwalth depart.

Granted, Candice hadn't told the others about her leaving on such short notice – though they probably found out soon enough through the Daten – but still.

… _we're not as close as we pretend to be, but we are friends. So I might as well help you out._

Bambietta smiled a small smile at those words. A large part of her still dismissed that friendship _could_ be big, but hearing Ichigo – Special War Power Number One who despite having lost his powers through a Shinigami technique all too similar to the Quincy: Letzt Stil still had the potential to regain it – implicitly affirm what the Daten said about his reason for fighting, well, she couldn't exactly dismiss it either. Her parents, and then her instructors during Quincy training, and finally the Grand Master after her ascension to the Stern Ritter, had always told her to keep a certain distance between herself and others, in case sacrifices became necessary. Now, though…

" _Maybe I should be nicer to Candice…and to Meninas too…_ " she thought, and mentally chuckled at something Candice had said to Bambietta before she'd left for the Living World.

 _I might as well help you out._

" _Thanks Candice…_ " Bambietta thought. " _…I'll repay you someday. Who knows? Considering how insane Liltotto and Giselle are, it might come in handy someday too._ "

"You two seem really close." Bambietta said aloud. "And with all the mentions of ancient history…childhood friends…?"

"Well, something like that." Ichigo said, and then winced as Tatsuki cuffed him on the back of the head.

"More like it's like that." She said before turning back to Bambietta. "Oh yeah, we go back a long way. I knew him back when he was a cute little kid instead of a grumpy teenager who scowls all the time."

"Hey, I do not scowl all the time!" Ichigo protested as Orihime arrived, drawn by the commotion. "And who's grumpy?"

"Are they always like that?" Bambietta asked the other girl, who laughed nervously.

"Not always…" she answered softly as Tatsuki and Ichigo argued with each other. "…but…yes, push the right buttons, and they get like that."

"Oh…that sounds interesting…" Bambietta said, and decided to have some fun, Candice-style. "…given how they bicker like an old couple, I'm surprised they're not going out."

The words had the desired effect, Ichigo and Tatsuki flushing before quickly turning to Bambietta and spluttering protests. Orihime – the Daten did say she was attracted to Ichigo though that much was obvious early on after Bambietta met her – actually _blushed_ at the insinuation and began to falteringly try and calm them down.

Bambietta just laughed though, and could see _why_ Candice found pushing people's buttons this way amusing.

* * *

"Sorry about that…" Bambietta apologized to Ichigo as they found themselves paired up in one of their following classes. Ichigo looked blankly at her.

"What?"

"Earlier during morning break…" Bambietta said. "…I…pushed it a bit too far, didn't I? I mean it's not like we're close, aren't we?"

"Oh that…" Ichigo said with dawning comprehension. "…don't sweat it. Even if we're not close, we're still friends, so I'll let it go. Just don't get into the habit."

Bambietta laughed before finishing the equation she was working on. "Thanks." She said. "Though, if that's the case you might want to avoid Candice if you meet her."

"Friend of yours…?"

"That's right." Bambietta said. "She likes to push people's buttons in fact it's something of a bad habit for her. Though, she's not all that bad either."

"Nobody's perfect." Ichigo said, and Bambietta laughed.

"True." She admitted. "Even you…?"

"And what about you…?" Ichigo shot back, and Bambietta laughed again. He smiled in triumph.

"Guess not…" Bambietta admitted. "…seeing as I've picked up Candice's bad habit too it seems."

"Don't worry too much about it." Ichigo told her as he answered an equation on his worksheet. "You're friends aren't you? Just don't let it get out of hand, and you should be fine."

"Yes, yes…"

* * *

Haschwalth was sitting in a café, reading a book while a half-empty mug of coffee sat on his table next to a crumb-covered plate and dirty silverware. Instead of his usual uniform – which would have drawn attention – he wore a dark business ensemble. While the task bestowed upon him required that he remain nearby to Ichigo Kurosaki, but that was only during his training, when the boy was actively trying to reawaken and control his shattered spiritual power.

And so far it seemed to working: the training of Ichigo's Fullbring seemed to be slower than expected, but then again, Fullbring was basically _Hollow_ power. And it was the anti-thesis of Ichigo's Quincy power. _Those_ had been shattered along with his Shinigami power by the Final Getsuga Tenshou, but in Haschwalth's presence they were fitfully reawakening, though it would take much, **MUCH** more for them to be fully-restored.

Ichigo's Shinigami power was irrelevant, and indeed, it might be better if they were destroyed for good. The same went for his Hollow power, and if all went well then both would be achieved soon enough.

More importantly, the fitful stirring of Ichigo's Quincy power was clashing with his Fullbring, delaying the latter's stabilization and development. Well, no matter: Haschwalth was patient, and so was the Emperor. It only meant they had more time to continue with preparations, though it wouldn't do to delay too long either.

As for his duties as Grand Master, he could delegate all but the most important ones to his staff. His aide Magda was quite useful in that regard, and as for balancing the scales, well, he could do that just as well in the Living World as he could in the Vandenreich. Everything else was a shadow away.

A flicker of Hollow spiritual pressure caught his attention, followed by a distant roar. Haschwalth cursed mentally. Hollows weren't much of a threat, but they could be troublesome. As a Quincy he could easily hide his spiritual pressure, but even so, he'd rather not take even the slightest chance of being exposed.

He'd no doubt both former Shinigami Substitutes were under close surveillance from the Soul Society's Onmitsukidou, waiting for the right time to strike. Any…disturbance, could draw their attention, attention Haschwalth had no need or desire to gain.

Calling for the bill, Haschwalth paid for his meal and draining the last of his coffee left the café. Out of instinct he traced the Hollow's position, and found it nowhere near his planned travel route. He did however sense the presence of a soul nearby, and Haschwalth silently gave his condolences, for unless the resident Shinigami arrived soon, it would be food for the Hollow.

 _Shinigami incompetence…_

* * *

The Hollow loomed dark against the sky, its eyes sinister points in the shadows of its mask. A long tongue hung out of its leering mouth, saliva dripping down to the ground. The spirit of a boy cowered against a wall, shaking with fear.

He screamed and scrambled away as the Hollow reached out, but to no avail. The Hollow was fast, and catching the boy's spirit slowly and deliberately raised it to its opening mouth, savouring the soul's screams as it did so.

"MAMA…! PLEASE HELP! MAMA! ANYONE, PLEASE HELP!" the boy screamed, smelling the rancid breath of the Hollow as he was thrust inside.

And then he was falling, falling down to the ground, the Hollow shuddering and groaning as it was split in half, its body crumbling into dust on the wind. The boy scrambled away, and stared wide-eyed as the monster vanished, literally wiped from existence. He looked around for his saviour, and found no one even as the resident Shinigami arrived minutes late…almost too late.

And walking away down the street several blocks away, the Grand Master of the Stern Ritter tucked his Quincy Cross into a pocket.

* * *

A/N

And there we go.

The other Fullbringers having taken longer to develop and master their powers is creative license on my part. Though, it is mentioned in canon that Ichigo's growth is much faster than normal. As Special War Power Number One, his special trait is _latent ability_ after all.

Ichigo's tough, but not _that_ tough. Enough to match gangs of thugs on his own, but against supernaturally-empowered Humans (even ones as weak as Fullbringers) he'll take a beating. Yes, I know in canon that Ichigo manifested the second stage of his Fullbring in a night and mastered it not long after, but with Haschwalth there stirring up his Quincy power, well, read the chapter above.

And speaking of Haschwalth…here's a rare heroic moment for the Grand Master of the Stern Ritter. Damn Kubo for rushing the ending…or, if the rumour mill is to be believed, executive meddling forced him to. So many characters (even Yhwach) wasted, even the whole story...Naruto had a better ending of all stories, bloody hell.


End file.
